KOCHI: Even as the UDF projects confidence of a comfortable victory in the 2026 assembly elections, the contest in Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan’s home turf — Paravur — appears far less straightforward.
A five-time MLA from the constituency, Satheesan has traditionally secured wins with comfortable margins. This time, however, the ground mood suggests a tighter race, with both the LDF and the BJP-led NDA fielding strong candidates. “It is going to be a very tight contest this time,” said P J Sajan and Biju K K, who run a cool bar at the private bus stand in North Paravur.
“In the previous election, Satheesan’s victory was almost certain. Now, with the LDF fielding a strong candidate and the BJP also looking to expand its vote share, he is likely to face stiff competition. That said, he has done a lot for the region despite being in the Opposition for the past 10 years,” they said.
The CPI has fielded Kaipamangalam MLA E T Taison as the LDF candidate in Paravur, while the NDA has brought in former Congress leader and municipal chairperson Valsala Prasannakumar as its nominee.
“People here have a good opinion of Taison Master as a leader. At the same time, the BJP is steadily gaining ground in the constituency. In the last local body elections, the BJP won two seats in the municipality,” said Radhakrishnan P A, an autorickshaw driver. He added that he favours the continuation of the Pinarayi Vijayan government.
Paravur constituency comprises wards of Paravur municipality and seven panchayats.
In the 2021 assembly election, Satheesan won by a margin exceeding 21,000 votes against CPI’s M T Nixon. However, this time, multiple factors could make the contest more competitive: a strong Left candidate capable of consolidating LDF votes, factional issues within the Congress, and the BJP’s incremental growth.
Paravur has remained a UDF stronghold for over two decades. Whether it will stay the course or reflect a broader anti-incumbency sentiment will be determined when voters head to the polls.